Sporting KC defeated 2-1 by Real Salt Lake in regular-season finale
SANDY, Utah -- Luis Silva scored in the opening minutes and Real Salt Lake beat Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Sunday in their regular-season finale.
Real Salt Lake (13-15-6), which was winless in its first five games of the season and won just two of its first 11, finished one point out of the Western Conference playoffs.
Silva came upon a loose ball near the spot and tapped a slow roller past a charging Andrew Dykstra in the third minute. Brooks Lennon made it 2-0 in the 41st. Silva, near the top of the box, drew three defenders and slipped it to Lennon who, after his first shot was rejected by Dykstra, top-netted the rebound.
Ike Opara says #SportingKC needs to step it up in the playoffs: "If we don't bring intensity for 90 minutes, it doesn't matter." pic.twitter.com/TM9UiBVcc1
— FOX Sports KC (@FSKansasCity) October 22, 2017
Ike Opara put away a low, diving header off a free kick from Graham Zusi in the 89th minute for Sporting KC (12-9-13).
Kansas City, winless in its last five, will be the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and play at fourth-seeded Houston in the Knockout Round.
